Poached Shrimp Remoulade

I was inspired to make shrimp remoulade after a recent trip to New Orleans, where I gorged myself on this ubiquitous dish. Remoulade is a tangy mayonnaise-based sauce—flavored with mustard, horseradish, vinegar, chili sauce and scallions—that pairs beautifully with seafood. This recipe is adapted from a dear friend, Jamie Shannon, who passed away many years ago. Jamie was the chef at Commander’s Palace in New Orleans and one of the world’s great taste makers. His remoulade beat all others.

Instructions

SERVINGS: 4

First, make the remoulade. Place the celery, garlic, eggs, Chesapeake Bay seasoning, paprika, Worcestershire, mustards, horseradish, chili sauce, vinegar and scallions in the bowl of a food processor. With machine running, slowly pour oil in to emulsify. Season with hot sauce and salt. Place in the fridge while you finish the dish, the longer it rests, the better.

In a large pot over medium heat, add the beer, celery, onion, lemon and water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp one at a time. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until shrimp are just cooked through. Strain into a large colander set over a bowl. Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning over the shrimp and immediately add a few cups of ice. The ice will melt, drawing the seasoning into the shrimp as they cool.

Place the shrimp on a platter or individual plates over the escarole or lettuce. Garnish with tomatoes, lemon wedges and parsley. Cover shrimp with a healthy dose of remoulade and serve.